Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-11-18
THE TIMBER PROBLEM.
Threatened Evils and Suggestions ReiaN
Ing TO Their Prevention.
Woodman, spare that tree

woodman, spare that tree
O. n Norris.
Thorc were two things tho early set
:lers Of this country disliked.-viz {;
Indians and woods; and to kill ono and
shop down the other was tho height Of
earthly ambition. This lattor trait is so
deeply rooted yet that the timber of this
country Is being rapidly exhausted. We
lid hope that tho discovery Of natural
gas. in connection with cheap coal.
would somewhat spare tho trees; but
we motto that, as wood can not be sold
for fuel at much profit they put IT
into log heaps and burn 1t up. Tho
sentiment seems to bo that tho forests
"must 60" As to the, final conse-
qucnces, overy intelligent observer
can predict
1t is well known that Spain was once
one of tho most fertile countries on the
globe. That was In the days Philip IL,
when the interior of the peninsula was
covered with vast forests. Those for
ests were destroyed. and to-day tho
country Is almost a desert
Egypt. in tho days of the Pha-
roahs, was fertile. WILDWOOD
country, and. wo are told. RI
vailed even tho Garden of the Lord"
To-day, Egypt is troeless and desost-
1t is woll-known fact that as tho
amount of timber increases on our
Western prairies, the average rainfall
increases, and vice versa. The capao-
ity of the soil TO re;ain moisture de-
pends to a great extent on the timber
in its vicinity. In many of tho Middle
States, Ohio for example. tho forests
have been SO effectually cleared off
that uniform rainfall is thing Of tho
past; hence ono part of the State will
burn up with a drought. while other
parts are deluged with excessive rains.
which rush off instantly into tho creeks
and rivers, tearing away the virgin
bottom lands and submorging cities,
leaving the soil packed, and fow
days Of scorching heat mako the last
stage worse than the first
Tho soil has to q great extent
ceased TO be factor In drawing rain,
because 1t has no moisture TO draw 1t,
with its capacity TO retain moisture de-
creaslng in proportion as tho forests
are destroyed. Hence, when warm
and cold current of air meet, rain
follows wherever the meeting takes
place; and when 1t begins to fall tho
earth in that place becomes moist and
continues TO attract, and tho rain con-
tinues to fall in that particular place.
All know the old saying that when
II once begins TO rain 1t will rain on"
Those parts Of the country which lie
unfortunately outside the meeting
place of tho currents continue dry and
parched. We're moisture moro uni
formly distributed when It begins to
rain the capacity of the soil to attract
would be more powerful and long
drouths would be rare.
As timber becomes scarce, countless
millions Of destructive insects which
formerly worked In tho woods for lack
Of room. now delugc our fruit trees
and vegetables. and make 1t almost
impossible to raise fruit where In
enrly times 1t fourished. Here and
there are societies and individuals
who raise the warning cry. But still
tho waste goes on at the rato
of ton millions Of acres annually.
In most Of the European countries
forests arc protected by law. In
France and Germany tho forest
area Is the same II was three
hundred years ago. and in, those
countries excessive drouths and rains
are rare. In Japan, for overy treo cut
down one must DO sot out In It's place
In all these countries the forests arc
government property and, OF course.
in our country things arc different
In somo countries trees are planted
along all tho public highways the ad-
vantagcs Of which system are self-evi-
dent There are thousands of acres of
waste land, especially wornout hill
sides, which do not pay taxes In every
county. but which ought to be in tim
Der. sowed down in some sort Of val
liable grass. and thus become elegant
pasture and aid very materially In
solving the rain problem 1t may bo
argued that it would be unconstitu-
tional for Government to interfere In
private property; but tho majority
must rule, and our laws should be
made to do the greatest good to the
greatest number; honce,lf II Is self
evident that the preservation Of our
forests is essential to our future well
Iaro. and even existence. 1t behooyes
our Legislators TO take the matter in
hand. regardless of individual claims
Dr. prejudices. Cor. Cincinnati Com
nercial- GGsetts-